Why is YouTube premium more expensive on my iPhone than the website?
YouTube Premium can cost about a third more when bought through a phone app because app-store billing adds a platform fee that many providers pass on to you. The same account and features are often cheaper on the provider's own website. On one plan the difference is about five dollars a month.
How to do it
- Open Subscriptions on your iPhoneGo to Settings, tap your name at the top, then tap Subscriptions to see your list.
- Check where each subscription was boughtThe list shows where each subscription was actually purchased, so you can tell which ones go through app-store billing.
- Compare the app price with the provider's own siteLook up the same plan on the provider's website. It is often cheaper because it avoids the app-store platform fee.
- Switch billing to the cheaper sourceFor plans that cost more through the app, subscribe directly on the provider's site instead. The account and features stay the same.
Questions that come up
Do I lose any features if I subscribe on the website instead of the app?
No. It is the same account with the same features either way. The only difference is the price, because app-store billing can add a platform fee that some providers pass on. You are paying for the identical service through a cheaper channel.
Does every subscription cost more in the app?
Not always. Not every subscription shows a gap between the app price and the website price. Some providers charge the same in both places. The only way to know is to check yours through Settings, your name, Subscriptions and compare against the provider's own site.
How much can I actually save?
It varies by provider and plan. In one example the app version costs about a third more, which works out to roughly five dollars a month on that plan. Your savings depend on how much your provider marks up its app-store price, so compare the two figures directly.
Full transcript
Same YouTube Premium, same account — yet on your phone it can cost about a third more than on the website. App-store billing adds a platform fee, and many providers pass it on. The provider's own site is often cheaper. On iPhone: Settings, your name, Subscriptions. That list shows where each one was actually bought. Same account, same features — about five dollars a month on this one plan. Not every subscription shows a gap — so check yours: Settings, your name, Subscriptions.